Attachment for holding a boot on a snowshoe

ABSTRACT

A mount for a snowshoe comprising front holding means and rear holding means, each holding means being constituted by a holding member for the boot, at least one of the holding members comprising at least one abutment element allowing the corresponding holding member to be in constrained abutment against the boot, and the holding member is movable between a boot release position and a boot holding position, the mount furthermore comprising means for causing displacement of the holding member from its release position toward its holding position, in which position it is in abutment against the boot, those means being constituted by a movable part arranged under the region occupied by the boot, connected at least kinematically to the corresponding holding member, actuation of the movable part by the boot during attachment causing displacement of the corresponding holding member toward its holding position, the abutment element being a flexible element.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to a mount for holding a boot on a snowshoe, and more particularly, to an improvement that facilitates attachment for the user.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

Snowshoes are devices that have been known for many years, since they have been used for several centuries by human populations, in particular Scandinavians, to move over snow.

Snowshoes have been used up to the present day for utilitarian or military purposes, to allow mountain residents and Alpine troops to move over snow and to travel as necessary for daily life. At present, snowshoes are also used to take excursions and hikes, or even for competition. Users are, however, of course looking for safety, performance, and in particular, easy and convenient attachment.

A number of holding devices intended to be installed on snowshoes to attach a boot to a snowshoe are known, such as hinged plates comprising means for holding the boot. These means are constituted by means intended to hold the front end of the boot, and rear holding means intended to hold the heel of the boot.

Although prior mounts provide some improved utilization once attached, they present difficulties while the boot is being put in place.

Specifically, with traditional mounts, the boot is generally put in place and held on the plate by an assemblage of flexible or semi-rigid straps comprising clamping loops, which is impractical.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The present invention provides an improvement over known configurations of mounts by disclosing a mount for a snowshoe which is easily attached on any type of boot, so that the boot can be attached to the snowshoe without having to bend down and adjust holding and clamping straps during attachment.

Thus, the mount for a snowshoe of the present invention comprises front holding means and rear holding means, each of the holding means being constituted by a holding member for the boot. At least one of the holding members comprises at least one abutment element that allows the corresponding holding member to be in constrained abutment against the boot. The holding member is movable between a boot release position and a boot holding position. The mount comprises means for causing displacement of the holding member from its release position toward its holding position, in which position it is in abutment against the boot. The means causing displacement include a movable part arranged under the region occupied by the boot, connected at least kinematically to the corresponding holding member. Actuation of the movable part by the boot during attachment causes displacement of the corresponding holding member toward its holding position, the abutment element being a flexible element.

According to a characteristic of the present invention, the holding member is mounted so as to be rotationally movable in order to assume the boot release position and the boot holding position.

According to another characteristic, the holding member is mounted so as to be translationally movable in order to assume the boot release position and the boot holding position.

According to a preferred embodiment of the invention, the abutment element is an elastic element.

Additionally, the mount according to the invention comprises means for locking the holding position of the holding member, and for unlocking from that position.

According to one of the embodiments, the rear holding means comprise the abutment element, and they are constituted by a rear holding member constituted by a rear encasing panel forming a cavity open toward the front of the boot, i.e., toward the front holding means, which rear encasing panel is intended to hold the heel of the boot.

The invention also relates to a snowshoe equipped with the mount according to the invention.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

Other characteristics and advantages of the invention will become apparent from the description below with reference to the attached drawings, which are provided only as non-limiting examples.

FIG. 1 is a top view of a snowshoe equipped with the mount according to the invention, but without the boot.

FIG. 2 is a side view of FIG. 1.

FIG. 3 is a perspective view of the rear holding means according to the invention.

FIG. 4 is a side view of the mount during attachment of a boot to the snowshoe by the user.

FIG. 5 is an exterior side view of the mount after attachment and locking.

FIGS. 4A and 5A are views similar to FIGS. 4 and 5, illustrating a variant embodiment.

FIGS. 4B and 5B are views similar to FIGS. 4 and 5, illustrating another variant embodiment.

FIG. 6 is a side view in longitudinal section of the mount after attachment and locking, with an associated illustration showing the detail on a larger scale.

FIGS. 7 to 10 are schematic illustrations showing the operation of the mount according to the invention:

FIG. 7 shows the mount in an attached position, and the boot outside the mount;

FIG. 8 shows the mount as attachment begins;

FIG. 9 is an illustration showing attachment up to the point where the rear encasing portion is in contact with the boot;

FIG. 10 is an illustration of the mount in the attached position, holding the boot.

FIG. 11 is an illustration depicting a variant of the means causing displacement of the rear holding member toward the boot holding position.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

The snowshoe having the general reference number 1 which comprises the mount according to the invention is embodied in the form of an elongated plate having dimensions greater than those of the boot, advantageously cut out, forming frame 2 of the snowshoe, having a general plane P of symmetry and comprising an assemblage of panels supporting mount 3 intended to receive the user's boot CH.

The frame 2, with its assemblage of internal panels, forms a general lower surface for support on the snow, allowing the user not to sink too deeply into the snow thanks to the large supporting surface having dimensions, in both length and width, greater than the lower surface of the sole.

According to the illustration shown as an example, the mount 3 intended to hold the boot is hinged with respect to frame 2 of the snowshoe itself along a transverse axis XX′. Additionally, the snowshoe illustrated can be of an entirely different type, for example a central panel made of cloth held by a peripheral framework made of aluminum or of a composite or other material.

The mount, provided as an example and having the general reference 3, is advantageously constituted by a plate 4 hinged around transverse axis X, X′. The plate 4 comprises holding means for the boot, namely front holding means 5 and rear holding means 6. The front end of the boot is held by the front holding means, for example, a front holding member 7, and its rear end is held by a rear holding member 8.

It is evident that the plate comprises means for pre-adjusting the longitudinal position of the rear holding member 8, for example those described in the French patents published under numbers FR 2 896 430 and FR 2 760 379.

The illustrations show a mount implemented in the context of a hinged plate carrying holding means, or, for example, with holding means fastened directly onto the frame.

According to the invention, at least one of holding members 7, 8 comprises at least one abutment element 11 allowing the corresponding member to be in constrained abutment against the boot in order to hold it. Abutment element 11 can furthermore be an elastic or flexible element such as a strap.

The flexible, or preferably elastic, abutment element 11 allows the use of any type of boot, of any shape or any stiffness, on a snowshoe mount in accordance with the invention.

It is understood that an elastic element is a flexible element having the capability of deforming elastically.

The holding member that has the abutment element is movable between a boot release position as illustrated in FIG. 3 and a boot holding position as illustrated in FIG. 10. The mount comprises actuating means 110 for causing displacement of the holding member from its release position toward its holding position in which the rear holding member is in constrained abutment against the boot. The actuating means comprises a movable part arranged below the region occupied by the boot, and connected at least kinematically to the corresponding holding member. Actuation of the movable part by the boot during attachment causing displacement of the corresponding holding member toward its holding position.

According to one preferred embodiment illustrated in FIGS. 1 to 10, rear holding means 6, and more particularly, the rear holding member 8, comprise an elastic element 11. According to the embodiment illustrated, rear holding member 8 is therefore constituted by an encasing panel 9 forming a cavity open toward the front (AV), i.e. toward front holding means 5, intended to hold the heel of boot CH. Encasing panel 9 is pivotably mounted on plate 4 around a transverse axis Y, Y′. This encasing panel 9 is constituted by two side panels 10 a, 10 b and a rear encasing panel 10 c. According to this preferred embodiment, rear encasing panel 10 c is made of an elastic material in order to constitute elastic element 11. It is this elastic element, constituted by an elastically deformable strip, that is intended to be in constrained abutment against the top rear portion of heel 12.

“Constrained abutment” is to be understood as an abutment against the boot whose force, in particular directed toward the front of the mount in the present embodiment, ensures retention of the heel of the boot. Encasing panel 9, constituted by the two side panels 10 a, 10 b and rear encasing panel 10 c, is furthermore pivotable on plate 4 around transverse axis Y, Y′. Encasing panel 9 is integral with a rear abutment plate 110 against which the bottom of the heel is in abutment in the attached position. The rear assemblage constituted by rear abutment plate 110, and encasing panel 9 with its elastic element 11, thus form a pivoting assemblage, mounted pivotably on plate 4 around transverse axis Y, Y′, which can assume two positions, namely a boot release position as illustrated in FIG. 3 and a boot holding position as illustrated in FIG. 10.

In the boot release position as illustrated in FIGS. 3, 4, 4A, 4B and 8, the rear encasing assemblage constituted in particular by rear encasing panel 10 c is swung to the rear (AR) with its abutment plate 110.

In the boot holding position as illustrated in FIGS. 5, 5A, 5B, 6 and 10, rear encasing panel 10 c constituted by the elastic element is in constrained abutment against the boot, specifically by the creation of a force toward the front (F) due to the elasticity of rear encasing panel 10 c.

The mount, and in particular its rear holding means 5, comprise means for locking the holding position, and unlocking means allowing a transition from the holding position to the release position.

It is evident that in order to attach the mount, the latter being in the position illustrated in FIGS. 3 and 8, the user, having engaged the front of his or her boot into front holding member 7, places his or her heel onto abutment plate 110 that is tilted toward the rear (AR) and, by downward pressure in the direction F1, his or her heel causes pivoting of the rear assemblage as illustrated in FIGS. 4 and 8.

In the course of this pivoting in the direction of R1, encasing panel 9 is displaced rotationally toward the front (AV), which first places elastic element 11 in abutment against rear top portion 12 of the heel, as illustrated in FIG. 9, and then secondly, as the pivoting of the encasing panel ends, elastic encasing element 11 is in constrained abutment with the heel of the boot so that it forces the rear top portion of the heel toward the front (FIG. 10).

Simultaneously, the attached position is automatically locked in that position. The locking means are constituted for that purpose, for example, by a movable locking part 13 acted upon by an elastic system such as a spring 14 interacting with a fixed part 15.

As an example, fixed part 15 is integral with rear abutment plate 110 and is a yoke projecting below rear abutment plate 110 in the shape of an inverted T or a U. The yoke comprises a transverse arm 111 intended to be held by movable part 13, as illustrated in FIG. 6.

The locking means furthermore comprise an unlocking lever 17 hinged on plate 4 around a transverse axis, for example axis Y, Y′ (shown in FIGS. 4A, 4B, 5A and 5B, among others). In addition, unlocking lever 17 extends toward the rear (AR) and upwardly (HA) so that it can be actuated by the user. For example, pivoting end 18 of unlocking lever 17 comprises an actuating ramp intended to push the movable locking part.

Unlocking lever 17 could extend laterally, for example laterally outward with respect to the boot.

Movable locking part 13 is a sliding part received in mount plate 4 which comprises at its front end a locking finger 20 intended to interact with transverse arm 111 of fixed part 15.

FIGS. 7, 8, 9 and 10 are illustrations showing the operation of the mount.

FIG. 7 shows the boot outside the mount, the mount being illustrated in the attached position but without the boot. It is evident from this Figure that the distance between front end 21 of the boot and rear holding end 22 has a length L that is greater than distance L1 between front holding member 7 and rear holding member 8, with a differential d ensuring that the elastic element presses onto the boot.

Upon attachment (FIG. 8) the user, acting downwardly with his or her heel onto rear abutment plate 110 causes rear encasing panel 10 c, which in this embodiment is elastic element 11, to rotate toward the front in direction R1.

During this rotation, elastic element 11 constituting rear encasing panel 10 c at first simply comes into abutment against rear upper part 12 of the heel, as illustrated in FIG. 9. As the frontward rotation continues, elastic element 11 is forced into constrained abutment against the boot to ensure that it is held.

At the completion of rotation, locking of abutment plate 110 is accomplished by interaction of movable locking part 13 with transverse arm 111 of fixed part 15. The boot is thus retained by a frontward action (F) of elastic element 11.

According to the embodiment described and illustrated above, the rear encasing member is brought into abutment in constrained fashion against the boot by pivoting, but this situation could be different. For example, according to the variant illustrated in FIG. 11, the displacement toward the boot in order to bring rear encasing panel 10 c into constrained abutment is effected by frontward translational displacement T of rear holding member 8 with its elastic element 11. For this purpose, the means for causing this displacement are constituted by a system of links 25 arranged under the heel of the boot.

According to a variant that is not depicted, rear panel 10 c of rear encasing panel 9 is made of a non-elastic material, while side panels 10 a, 10 b are made of elastic material. The mode of operation according to this embodiment is the same, except that rear encasing panel 10 c is not elastic, but by action of side panels 10 a, 10 b, which are elastic, the rear encasing panel 10 c is in constrained abutment against the boot.

The preferred embodiment illustrated in FIGS. 1 to 11 is such that it is the rear holding member that comprises the elastic element, but that situation could be different. For example, the front holding member could comprise an elastic element that could exert pressure on the boot in order to ensure that it is held.

FIGS. 4A and 5A are views similar to FIGS. 4 and 5, illustrating a variant embodiment according to which rear encasing panel 10 c is mounted hingedly on each of side panels 10 a, 10 b around a transverse axis 120. This allows better adaptation to the boot.

FIGS. 4B and 5B are views similar to FIGS. 4 and 5, illustrating another variant embodiment according to which pivot axis Y, Y′ of the rear holding member is displaced toward the front so it is located farther frontward with respect to rear panel 10 c, unlike the previous implementation according to which pivoting axis Y, Y′ is located substantially plumb with the rear portion of rear panel 10 c. It is apparent that, with the embodiment of FIGS. 5A and 5B, there will be greater engagement of rear panel 10 c against the heel.

The necessary elasticity can be achieved by the sliding of rear holding element 8 on the plate that carries it, such sliding occurring against the action of an elastic system such as a spring or another system.

It is evident that attachment and holding of the boot onto and on the snowshoe occurs automatically due to the elastic effect of the elastic element of one of the holding means. 

1. A mount assembly to mount a boot to a snowshoe comprising a front holding member and a rear holding member for the boot, at least one of the holding members comprising at least one abutment element configured to allow a corresponding holding member to be in constrained abutment against the boot, said corresponding holding member being movable between a boot release position and a boot holding position, said mount further comprising a displacement part of the holding member configured to move the holding member from its release position toward its holding position, in which position the holding member is in abutment against the boot, said displacement part comprising a movable part arranged under a region occupied by the boot and connected at least kinematically to said corresponding holding member, wherein actuation of the movable part by the boot during attachment displaces said corresponding holding member toward the holding position, and wherein the abutment element is a flexible element.
 2. The mount assembly according to claim 1, wherein the rear holding member is mounted so as to be rotationally movable in order to move the holding member to the boot release position and the boot holding position.
 3. The mount assembly according to claim 1, wherein the rear holding member is mounted so as to be translationally movable in order to assume the boot release position and the boot holding position.
 4. The mount assembly according to claim 1, wherein the abutment element (11) is an elastic element.
 5. The mount assembly according to claim 1, further comprising locking elements for locking the holding member in its holding position, and a release element for unlocking the holding member from that position.
 6. The mount assembly according to claim 1, wherein a rear encasing panel comprises the abutment element.
 7. The mount assembly according to claim 6, wherein the rear holding member comprises the encasing panel that forms a cavity open toward the front holding member and holds the heel of the boot.
 8. The mount assembly according to claim 7, wherein the encasing panel is pivotably mounted on a plate comprising an assemblage of panels supporting said mount, said encasing panel pivoting around a transverse axis and comprising two side panels and a rear encasing panel.
 9. The mount assembly according to claim 8, wherein the rear encasing panel is made of elastic material and comprises the elastic element constituted by an elastically deformable strip in constrained abutment against the rear top portion of the heel.
 10. The mount assembly according to claim 1, wherein the movable part comprises a rear abutment plate rotationally integral with the rear holding member.
 11. The mount assembly according to claim 1, wherein the movable part is a system of links.
 12. The mount assembly according to claim 1, wherein the front holding member and the rear holding member are carried by a pivoting plate.
 13. A snowshoe comprising a mount assembly to mount a boot to the snowshoe, the mount assembly comprising a front holding member and a rear holding member for the boot, at least one of the holding members comprising at least one abutment element configured to allow a corresponding holding member to be in constrained abutment against the boot, said corresponding holding member being movable between a boot release position and a boot holding position, said mount further comprising a displacement part of the holding member configured to move the holding member from its release position toward its holding position, in which position the holding member is in abutment against the boot, said displacement part comprising a movable part arranged under a region occupied by the boot and connected at least kinematically to said corresponding holding member, wherein actuation of the movable part by the boot during attachment displaces said corresponding holding member toward the holding position, and wherein the abutment element is a flexible element.
 14. The snowshoe according to claim 13, wherein the rear holding member is mounted so as to be rotationally movable in order to move the holding member to the boot release position and the boot holding position.
 15. The snowshoe according to claim 13, wherein the rear holding member is mounted so as to be translationally movable in order to assume the boot release position and the boot holding position.
 16. The snowshoe according to claim 13, further comprising locking elements for locking the holding member in its holding position, and a release element for unlocking the holding member from that position.
 17. The snowshoe according to claim 13, wherein the rear encasing panel is made of elastic material and comprises the elastic element constituted by an elastically deformable strip in constrained abutment against the rear top portion of the heel.
 18. The snowshoe according to claim 13, wherein the movable part comprises a rear abutment plate rotationally integral with the rear holding member.
 19. The snowshoe according to claim 13, wherein the movable part is a system of links.
 20. The snowshoe according to claim 13, wherein the front holding member and the rear holding member are carried by a pivoting plate. 